It’s estimated that 20 million Britons take supplements, but in a crowded market and amid a mass of conflicting information it’s hard to know if you’re wasting your money.
In an effort to cut through the confusion, Dr. Ariana Medizade, a pharmacist and social media influencer, gave her three top supplements to avoid.
The supplement industry has grown enormously after the pandemic, with more than 70 percent of people now taking at least one.
But in a TikTok video viewed more than 160,000 times, Dr. Medizade claims there are pills she “would never take as a pharmacist, even if my own child asked me to.”
Read on to find out which ones are on her blacklist…
Supplements have been on the rise since the pandemic, with one in three saying they started using them because of the pandemic
A survey found that 60 percent of British people use the supplement
Vitamin D3
Often used to improve bone health, it is also used to strengthen the immune system, improve mood and muscle function
A survey – carried out by the Health Food Manufacturers’ Association – found that 60 percent of Britons use the supplement.
Dr. However, Medizade warns that most people do not take it properly, which can have dangerous consequences.
“There should be a warning label on supplements for this, but I would never take vitamin D3 on its own,” she says.
‘You should always take vitamin D3 together with K2, otherwise calcium will be stored in the wrong places when your body absorbs calcium.’
She explains that it probably doesn’t go to your bones, but to your blood vessels.
This can cause calcification, a process in which calcium builds up in the body’s tissues, causing the tissue to harden, and other long-term problems.
St. John’s wort
The pharmacist warns that the supplement may counteract other medications you are taking
This herbal remedy is made from a common yellow flower and is often used to treat psychological problems, including anxiety and depression.
The pharmacist warns that the supplement may counteract other medications you are taking.
‘Never take St. John’s wort. Especially if you are taking oral contraceptive pills or other medications,” says Dr. Medizade.
‘St. John’s wort is known to be a CYP3A4 inducer, which induces the metabolism of drugs in your body, causing them to enter your bloodstream at lower concentrations, as if you never took the drugs in the first place.’
Zinc with Magnesium together
Many people take the combination in the hope that it will boost their metabolism and muscle function
A supplement commonly used to boost your immune system and strengthen your bones.
The pharmacist warned that these two minerals compete for absorption if you take them together.
She does admit that there are benefits to the supplements individually
Instead, she recommends taking it two hours apart, making sure you take zinc with food and if you have a supplement that combines the two, make sure the dose is optimized.
This means a zinc to magnesium ratio of 1-10 or 1-15.
